Crapemyrtle plant named &#39;shumaka&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lagerstroemia  crapemyrtle plant named ‘Shumaka’, characterized by its light pink color flowers and large growth habit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/626,497 filed Sep. 27, 2011. The entirety ofthat provisional application is incorporated herein by reference.

STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

This invention was made with government support under 58-6404-0-014awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural ResearchService. The government may have certain rights in the invention.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION

Lagerstroemia: L. indica×L. fauriei×L. limii. ‘Arapaho’ ×L. unknown

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

Crapemyrtle ‘Shumaka’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of theornamental flowering shrub and landscape plant of the genusLagerstroemia, commonly known as crapemyrtle, of the family Lythraceae,and is referred to hereinafter by its cultivar denomination ‘Shumaka’.This novel plant is an asexually propagated hybrid of crapemyrtle thatwas selected in 2008 from approximately 2800 crosses. The female seedparent is Lagerstroemia indica×L. fauriei×L. limii. ‘Arapaho’ (PI633034). The male pollen parent is unknown since the new cultivarresulted from open pollination of ‘Arapaho’. ‘Shumaka’ was selected forits unique light pink flower color and size. The designation ‘Shumaka’was evaluated under the experimental name ‘2008-0052’. This high qualitynovel and distinct cultivar of crapemyrtle plant was vegetativelypropagated at the Mississippi State University Coastal Research andExtension Center, South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station, inPoplarville, Miss. Each of several generations of cuttings has producedstable plants identical to the original seedling plant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a Lagerstroemia hybrid resulting from the openpollination of Lagerstroemia: L. indica×L. fauriei×L. limii. ‘Arapaho’(female parent). ‘Shumaka’ is a distinctive, new cultivar of crapemyrtleplant characterized by its light pink flower color and large crapemyrtlegrowth habit. The traits of the new plant are continually maintainedwhen propagated asexually. This new cultivar may vary slightly withchanges in location, temperature, light, and other environmentalconditions, but the genotype will not be affected. ‘Shumaka’ alsoexhibits the quality and characteristic of adaptability to all areas ofhardiness zones 7-10. ‘Arapaho’, the female parent of ‘Shumaka’, is atall crapemyrtle as is ‘Shumaka’. However, ‘Arapaho’ has red flowerscompared to light pink flowers for ‘Shumaka’. This new plant has uniqueflower color contained in a very large growing crapemyrtle. Thecombination of ‘Shumaka's light pink flower color and large growth habitdistinguishes it from all other crapemyrtle cultivars.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The color photographs of FIG. 1 through FIG. 4 illustrate the overallappearance and unique characteristic of light pink flower color of thenew crapemyrtle cultivar ‘Shumaka’. The photographs were taken usingconventional techniques and, although colors may appear different fromactual colors due to light reflectance, the new plant and its colors areshown as true and accurately as reasonably possible by conventionalphotographic techniques. Colors in the photographs may differ from theactual colors and values in the description of the new crapemyrtle plantdue to light conditions and other factors. The photographs and thedetailed description of the invention are intended to illustrate furtherthe invention and its advantages.

FIG. 1 is a color photograph of the new crapemyrtle ‘Shumaka’ taken atthe Coastal Research and Extension Center, South Mississippi BranchExperiment Station that shows the flower and leaf color of the newcultivar.

FIG. 2 is a color photograph of the new crapemyrtle ‘Shumaka’ taken atthe Coastal Research and Extension Center South Mississippi BranchExperiment Station that shows the flower and leaf color of the newcultivar.

FIG. 3 is a color photograph of the new crapemyrtle ‘Shumaka’ taken atthe Coastal Research and Extension Center South Mississippi BranchExperiment Station that illustrates flower, leaf, and stem color of thenew plant.

FIG. 4 is a color photograph of the new crapemyrtle ‘Shumaka’ taken atthe Coastal Research and Extension Center South Mississippi BranchExperiment Station that illustrates stem color of the new plant.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Latin name: Lagerstroemia×‘Shumaka’

Lagerstroemia: L. indica×L. fauriei×L. limii. ‘Arapaho’×Lagerstroemiaunknown

Cultivar denomination: ‘Shumaka’

The present invention is a novel Lagerstroemia×‘Shumaka’ cultivar knownas ‘Shumaka’ that is different from other crapemyrtle cultivars.

ARP X TKE 0052 Row 36—Replication 3—Plant # 7 in Rep. McNeill planting.

The following is a detailed botanical description of the characteristicsof the new Lagerstroemia crapemyrtle cultivar known as ‘Shumaka’, basedon observations of the plant grown at the Coastal Research and ExtensionCenter and research facility at Poplarville, Miss., and under similarconditions to those for growing these plants commercially. ‘Shumaka’ hasbeen observed under many but not all possible environmental conditions.Color notations of plant tissues are based upon The Royal HorticultureSociety (R.H.S.) Colour Chart, 2001 Edition. Color notations may havebeen slightly affected by light quality and fertility and general plantgrowth. Certain characteristics will vary depending on the age of theplants so that dimensions, sizes, and colors are approximations oraverages since the cultivar has not been observed under every possibleenvironmental condition. Therefore the phenotype of the cultivar maydiffer from the descriptions depending upon environmental variationsincluding, but not limited to, the season, temperatures, day lengths,light direction and quality, and fertilization, as well as otherfactors.

The present invention is a Lagerstroemia hybrid resulting from the openpollination of Lagerstroemia indica×L. fauriei×L. limii. ‘Arapaho’(female parent), whereby ‘Arapaho’ was crossed with a Lagerstroemiaunknown pollen donor (male parent). The stem color of this new plant isRoyal Horticulture Society (R.H.S.) Colour Chart Group 199-B. The leafcolor is R.H.S. Colour Chart Group 139-A. The flower petal color islight pink (R.H.S. Colour Chart Group 56-D). This new plant is acrapemyrtle with unique light pink flower color that may be used as aspecimen in landscapes where crapemyrtles are traditionally used. Thiscrapemyrtle plant will be in the twenty plus (20+) foot range forgrowth. Currently, not many if any crapemyrtles exist that are “lightpinks” and that are in this large growth range.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the flower color and the leaf color of the newcultivar. FIG. 3 shows the flower, leaf, and stem color of the newcultivar. FIG. 4 shows the stem color of the new plant.

The final height and width of the plant have not been observed.Three-year plants in the research facility at the South MississippiBranch Experiment Station are greater than twenty (20) feet tall andapproximately 8 to 10 feet wide, forming a multiple or single trunklarge crapemyrtle. It can possibly be grown as a large shrub in climateswhere shoot growth is killed to the ground each winter. Its foliagecomprises glossy green leaves that are opposite and that areapproximately from 2.50 to 3.00 inches in length and from 1.00 to 1.50inches in width. The leaf top color is R.H.S. Colour Chart Group 139-A.The leaf underside color is R.H.S. Colour Chart Group 146-B. The leaftype is simple and is persistent and deciduous. The leaf margin isentire, the leaf shape is elliptical, and the leaf venation is pinnate.The stem is rather slender with a slightly angular shape with prominentwings when young and a round shape when growth is more mature. The newplant is a deciduous, summer-flowering plant, so that fall color hasbeen inconsequential. The plant has shown insect and disease tolerancecomparable to the parent under field conditions.

The flowers are perfect, 6-petaled and each flower is approximately 1.25inches in diameter. The flowers are light pink and are most typicallyvisible from early June to late August depending on environmentalconditions. The flowers have medium to large tapered panicles. Theflower panticle is approximately 10 to 12 inches long. The unopenedflower capsule color is R.H.S. Colour Chart Group 59-A.

The fruit is comprised of seed pods that are dark green in color turningto brown. The mature seed pod color is R.H.S. Colour Chart Group 144-A.The fruit is a broad-ellipsoidal 6-valved dehiscent capsule, brown incolor, approximately ½ of an inch wide. Seeds are approximately ⅜ to ½of an inch long and winged. The pistil color is R.H.S. Colour ChartGroup 14-A. A woody capsule generally persists on the panicle until latewinter. Cold testing for cold hardiness has not yet been completed forthe new cultivar. Plants had just begun to exhibit the exfoliating barkcharacteristics common to crapemyrtles at the time of observation.

Rooting of the new large-sized crapemyrtle is easily accomplished,making the plant excellent for production purposes, and such rootedplants are identical to the original. The novelty of the plant includesits light pink flower color (R.H.S. Colour Chart Group 56-D) and itssize. ‘Shumake’ may be used as a specimen in landscapes wherecrapemyrtles are traditionally used. The new crapemyrtle plant will bein the 20+ foot range for growth. Currently, not many if anycrapemyrtles exist that are this “light pink” color and that are in thislarge crapemyrtle group growth range.

As will be apparent to those skilled in horticultural science, the newand distinct crapemyrtle plant cultivar described herein may vary inminor detail due to climatic, soil, and cultural conditions under whichthe variety may be grown, as well as the stage of growth.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of crapemyrtleLagerstroemia hybrid plant named ‘Shumaka’, substantially as hereinillustrated and described.